Giant laulau
Syzygium megacarpum

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A shrub or tree. It grows up to 2 m high. It can be 20 m tall. It has 4 sided twigs. The leaves are leathery and 15-25 cm long by 8-12 cm wide. The flowers are white with many stamens. They are 2.5 cm across. They are in the axils of leaves and at the ends of branches. The fruit are pinkish red and 8-15 cm long. They are widest at the centre and narrow to both ends. The flesh is white and has 5 seeds.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the understory of less disturbed evergreen forest. In southern China it grows in moist low forests and near rivers between 300-1,200 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Thailand, USA, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

It can be grown from fresh ripe seed.

It grows quickly in damp soils.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Eugenia latilimba Merr.; Eugenia macropcarpa Roxb. [Illegitimate]; Eugenia megacarpa Craib.; Jambosa coarctata Blume; Jambosa macrocarpa Sweet; Syzygium latilimbum (Merr.) Merr. & L. M. Perry; Syzygium macrocarpum Bahadur & R. C. Gaur;